Deck hatches and supplier in Australia

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by GILow

I wouldn't mind being in Brisbane this week. We've got five days over 40C coming up in Adelaide.

But I'll give 'em a call and see what they have.

Ta,

Matt

It finally got over 20 here in Tassie this week...

Actually brilliant wx just now!

Jim

[GILow]

Which is exactly why I am so looking forward to next summer in tassie.

[goboatingnow]

Giot make hatches as do Osculati

Dave

[Roy M]

I recently replaced some hatches on an older boat, and had to make some significant modifications to make them fit. The original hatch over the forward cabin had been torn off by a tangled jib sheet in a strong gust of wind. The cabintop had a pronounced curve, and all the replacement hatches on the local market are designed for a flat surface. So, I had to make an adaptor that didn't look too out of place. Here are some pics: The first shows what I started with, then how the new Lewmar hatch roughly matched the opening, then the construction of the adaptor "ring", finally the finished hatch. The cabintop hasn't yet been finish painted completely.

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Roy M

I recently replaced some hatches on an older boat, and had to make some significant modifications to make them fit. The original hatch over the forward cabin had been torn off by a tangled jib sheet in a strong gust of wind. The cabintop had a pronounced curve, and all the replacement hatches on the local market are designed for a flat surface. So, I had to make an adaptor that didn't look too out of place. Here are some pics: The first shows what I started with, then how the new Lewmar hatch roughly matched the opening, then the construction of the adaptor "ring", finally the finished hatch. The cabintop hasn't yet been finish painted completely.

Roy,
It looks great! Did you laminate it from thin sheets of veneer or did you use marine ply of some sort?

[JPA Cate]

Matt,

There was a typo in the post mentioning Goiot hatches. They have a good reputation.

If you find that you have to use an adapting ring as above, I'd suggest adding a "hatch dam" on the two sides and forward. Such construction really helps protect those edges of the hatches from the "greedy fingers" of water that try to tear them off, and aid in preventing water intrusion.

Ann

[GILow]

Roy, may I compliment you on an excellent installation. And not a job for the faint hearted with all those compound curves.

Thankfully our decks are laser flat and the hatches sit all alone miles from any other obstructions so our task will be much simpler. Ann your suggestion has been added to my thinking particularly with regard to Roy's remark about jib sheets ripping off his hatch as what you describe would also minimise the risks of a sheet working itself under the hatch.

Matt

[Roy M]

First I had to make a filler piece that established the shape of the opening, and the cutout for the new hatch. I use pieces of 1/8" fiberboard, hot melt glue gunned to make the patterns, inside and out. The hatch adaptor ring was made from scraps of 1/4" exterior Douglas Fir plywood, glued together with epoxy. The filler pieced was built up first to establish the compound curve. I used duct tape to prevent bonding the wood to the original fiberglass in the beginning, because I needed to establish the complete shape, as well as fill all drain channel voids with spray foam. The screws were to ensure I had matched the curves, then when cured, the screws were removed and additional layers of ply built up. When I had adequate thickness built up, I then shaped the plywood ring with a power plane and a grinder using 16 grit phenolic discs. Then hand sanded, sealed in more epoxy, sanded some more, then glassed with 2 layers of 6 ounce cloth. The hatch was then clamped in place over the deck (the original drains were foam filled and glassed) and final cosmetics done, including linear polyurethane paint, then the hatch was installed using screws and 3M 4000UV sealant. Here are some pics:

[GILow]

Spot the part time welder/part time woodworker.

(Those are welding clamps, right?)

[Boracay]

I've always understood that the problem with many mass produced hatches was that they handle gentle rain from above but hard driven horizontal water, either from wind or sea can be quite another matter.

When rebuilding Boracay I took the opportunity to put spacers (in much the same way as described above) under my two large hatches so as to lift them an inch or so above the cabin top and despite being old and having had their rubber replaced the forward one has not leaked at all and the salon one has just a few drips when the wind is blowing from the wrong direction.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by sharpey

You might also check with Manship out of Taiwan.

+1 on manship. I replaced a large opening aluminium framed glass port with a manship stainless framed 10 mm safety glass product.
I wanted to buy Aus made dut the best quote was $2400.00 for a powder coated alloy frame vs $900.00 for manship. And a bloody good product to boot.

[SimonF]

Gebo is another brand worth considering. I just replaced a large one on my Jarkan. The local distributor is in Sydney.

I leave the hatch dogged open on the ventilator setting most of the time inshore or on the mooring, but since it is a forward facing hatch I dog it down fully in open water, since a wave over the foredeck tends to squirt up under the rim.

Gebo is cheaper than many other brands, and uses adjustable friction hinges instead of stays to hold the hatch open.

[GILow]

Thanks Simon, I will check those out also.

(Wow, what a lot of brands I had never even heard of...)

[GILow]

Oh dear, just found lots of references to Gebo on CF, and so far not positive. On the upside, your suggestion helped me find those threads on CF, which had eluded me till now, so it was a great help, ta.

Matt

[SimonF]

Originally Posted by GILow

Oh dear, just found lots of references to Gebo on CF, and so far not positive. On the upside, your suggestion helped me find those threads on CF, which had eluded me till now, so it was a great help, ta.

Matt

I found enough conflicting reviews about every brand of hatch that I just opted to stick with Gebo since it was a reasonable price and the current model still had the same footprint as the old one. My old one didn't leak, but the hinges had corroded and cracked (after probably 20-30 years of neglect). The new one has 4 dogs instead of 2, the dogs grip a flange on the aluminium surround instead of fittings attached to the surround, and they can be operated from above or below deck, so clearly they have improved their design over time. They also seem to be good with replacement parts now.

Then there was the debate about what sealant to use.... One shipwright said Sika, another silicone, and the instructions said butyl mastic.... I went with sika 295 in the end because you have plenty of time to work it, as long as you don't mind it being a fairly permanent outcome.


You might also find it useful to grab an abrasive nylon brush wheel for your grinder or drill. I used this to remove the stubborn residue of old silicon, followed by a quick rubdown with a fine flap wheel to prepare the surface under the flange. Bunnings have everything you need in that regard.


Good luck with the job!